Denise Cerro Links

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Collage Credit

My daily practice of making small collages has paid off! I've been commissioned to make a large abstract collage piece for a client.

This 30" x 40" piece will hang in my clients home office, and it is all about the process of remodeling a house... the very house the collage is made for!

The client provided copies of the actual blueprints, landscape designs, and color images of the original house before reconstruction. You can't get more personalized than that!

First, I tore the plans into pieces I could collage onto the canvas.

Sometimes it's a little hard to rip up the one-of-a-kind papers I use in collage, but you know what they say about making an omelet…

Just remember, like the cracked eggs, those old floor plans are becoming something greater.

(Also, it's so much fun!)

I glued the paper pieces onto the canvas using gel medium, smoothed them flat, and coated them with more gel medium on top. Acrylic gel is perfect for collage, since it acts as both a glue and a top coat. Then any acrylic paint you add after that, has a compatible surface to adhere to.

Next I applied a layer of texture going over some of the collaged papers and adding in the street number in relief.

Then, in a neutral color palette to work with the neutral room, I loosely brushed on some paint to bring out the textures.

The green of the landscape plans provide the necessary pop of color.

Lastly I added a few dimensional elements, such as the metal "P" stencil.

This mixed-media collage looks great in the client's office, with their apple green office chair to match!

Don't take my word for it. Come back and see!

Followup photos will appear soon in my Big Finale post of all the projects I have completed for this client's renovated home.